The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, recently emphasized the urgent need for India to develop its own drone technology to achieve true self-reliance. Speaking at the inaugural session of the Bharat Drone & Robotics Manthan 3.0 conference, he outlined a comprehensive plan for collaboration between the IAF and domestic innovators.
Modern warfare increasingly relies on cost-effective unmanned systems, and the Air Chief pointed out that the IAF must stay ahead of the fast-evolving technological landscape. He stated that any hesitation could lead to significant operational costs.
“The responsibility of outlining precise operational requirements lies with us, the users,” said Singh, highlighting the establishment of the Directorate of Aerospace Design (DAD) as a crucial link between the IAF and innovative startups.
“The problem statement has to originate from us. We have the Directorate of Aerospace Design to interact with the industry and startups to define our requirements,” he added.
Addressing bureaucratic bottlenecks, the IAF has announced Dronathon 2026, scheduled for September, where companies can showcase live product demonstrations instead of the traditional paper presentations.
Singh called for every aspect of drone development to be rooted in India. “Every brick should be developed in India. Then only can we say we are fully Atmanirbhar,” he asserted, underscoring vulnerabilities in the existing foreign supply chains.
Cautioning against delays in technology adoption, he stressed that “technology delayed is technology denied,” advocating for a unified approach involving academia, regulators, investors, and manufacturers to transition solutions from theory into practice.
While acknowledging that drones complement rather than replace manned systems, Singh’s proactive approach indicates a significant shift in how operational challenges can create collaborative opportunities for India’s thriving aerospace sector.
“If we keep doing what we are doing, we will get the same results. If we want different results, let us do something different,” he concluded, urging all stakeholders to adapt swiftly to changing technological dynamics.